Simon, letter by letter
Hangul is written in blocks. Each block is one syllable, built from a consonant, a vowel and sometimes a final consonant at the bottom.
| Block | Letters | How each letter sounds | Sound |
|---|---|---|---|
| 사 | ㅅ + ㅏ | ㅅ s ㅏ a, as in “father” | sa |
| 이 | ㅇ + ㅣ | ㅇ silent at the start ㅣ i, as in “see” | i |
| 먼 | ㅁ + ㅓ + ㄴ | ㅁ m ㅓ eo, like the u in “up” ㄴ n at the end | meon |
Why Simon is written this way
- The long “i” of “Mike” or “Ryan” is written as two vowels, 아 + 이: 사이.
- The relaxed “uh” sound — like the u in “fun” or the -er in “Peter” — is written ㅓ (eo): 먼.
- Simon ends in a consonant, so it sits at the bottom of the last block as a final consonant (받침): 먼 has ㄴ at the bottom.
Introducing yourself
The ending after your name depends on how it ends in Korean. 사이먼 ends in a consonant (ㄱ, ㄴ, ㄹ…) at the bottom of the last block, so you say 제 이름은 사이먼이에요 (je ireumeun saimeonieyo). With friends, Koreans add 아 (a) when calling someone by name. At work, coworkers will usually call you 사이먼 씨 or 사이먼 님.
Official documents such as your residence card use your name in English letters, as in your passport. The Hangul spelling is what friends, coworkers and baristas will write.